Movie Night With Lauren #1: from The 5th Wave to Hick thanks to Chloe Grace Moretz. Check out the explanation for Movie Night here.

Basic Synopsis: Chloe Grace Moretz runs away from her house that’s not a home for the bright lights of Las Vegas. You know, every teenager’s dream.

Brief Thoughts: This was definitely not the movie I was expecting. I am most likely misremembering the trailer since I saw it years ago, thus the disappointment is my fault, but I thought I was getting into a film where Moretz and Blake Lively were going cross country as young girls hellbent on fighting dirty, rotten men for the justice of all. In other words, a hint of Violet & Daisy in the innocent appearance of the characters, but grittier vengeance.

Instead what we get is a road trip film in which bad things keep happening to Moretz’s character, who likes to act older than she is and get herself into super uncomfortable situations. All the male characters are extremely creepy predators, with Eddie Redmayne taking the cake. He’s just so charming with that smile, but then you realize he is aiming it at a young girl and suddenly things go from friendly to illegal as the stranger danger alarm blares loudly.

Let’s Talk About That Ending: (Spoilers) For most of the movie I was waiting for Moretz to pull the gun she gets for her birthday from her purse to protect herself since she was so willing to flash it around early on. Yet it kept not happening, and my disappointment was growing, especially when she was unable to prevent her own rape (one scene that I actually thought was handled well with the voiceover). It eventually comes out, better late than never, and Lively manages to get shot by Redmayne’s incorrectly aimed arm (thanks weird editing!). She dies, I groan, but then Moretz puts a bullet in Redmayne and I did get a small amount of satisfaction.

Until she skipped off into the sunset to Los Angeles to go live with a random stranger. What!?

Randomly Awesome Quote: “You are not killing my daughter! Not on her birthday!” – This movie did have a feel to it like it could’ve been in on the joke of it all, so when this line was originally said I couldn’t help but laugh. But then once I got deeper into the movie I realized that this line was probably said earnestly.

Final Thoughts: I’m going to imagine a mashup of Violet & Daisy and Kick-Ass and be happy once more.

Next Rental Up: If you’d like to watch Hick it is currently available on Netflix Instant, but I’m moving on: Chloe Grace Moretz leads to Dark Places, Blake Lively leads to New York, I Love You, and Eddie Redmayne leads to Black Death. Decisions decisions.